We are a group comprised of social enterprises who are strongly committed to connect social enterprises in one association, organize the sector and Connect LSE with local and international partners.
We have joined forces to build an effective structure capable of catering to the growing needs of social enterprises in Lebanon.
The association's mission is to support the affiliated social enterprises by contributing to their administrative and financial development and to increase their social and environmental impact by all possible means.
In order to be recognized as a “Social Enterprise” within the association, the non-governmental organizations and commercial institutions are required to:
1. Pursue an environmental, social or commercial objective provided that the latter is directed towards people with financial or social difficulties. The focus of the institution’s work must be centered on its social and environmental message. This should be reflected in its mission statement, objectives, rules and procedures, products, production processes
2. Directly run all activities related to their environmental or social mission (recycling, waste treatment, integration of people with special needs ...)
3. Generate income through sales of products and/or services
4. Aim for financial stability and long-term sustainability
5. Reinvest at least 50% of their profits in their activities
Institutions that are younger than a year can be non-voting members until they reach one year of operation.
The LSE has the following objectives:
● Ensuring the status of "Social Enterprise" to the members of the association, allowing them to benefit from its services and support. This will be a way to distinguish social enterprises from other non-profit associations and commercial companies, in Lebanon
● Establishing laws and regulations to organize the sector of social entrepreneurship in Lebanon
● Facilitating the access to financial resources and investors (investors can be persons or institutions)
● Supporting the affiliated institutions in accessing domestic and global markets, in establishing partnerships with international organizations, with the public sector and in implementing responsible consumption in Lebanon
● Using all means available (research, conferences, events, marketing and advertising) to achieve these objectives and obtain the best operational services offered to the affiliated institutions
● Enabling all members of society to contribute to economic growth and impact the environmental and social development in Lebanon, by creating new social enterprises